Underdog SJSU Spartans eager for challenge to open season against No. 6 USC

Spartans head to Los Angeles looking to beat a Top-10 team for the first time since The last time the Spartans beat a top-10 opponent since TCU in 2000

SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose State opens the season as a four-touchdown underdog against No. 6 ranked USC on Saturday.

The Spartans, on the other hand, believe they are more than prepared to compete with a team that many believe will be vying for the National Championship this season.

“I’m coming in there trying to prove something,” SJSU cornerback D.J. Harvey explained. “I saw the articles about us. Even though most people don’t notice it, I do.”

According to Caesar’s Sportsbook.com, SJSU is a 31-point underdog in Saturday’s game.

The Spartans lost 30-7 to USC at the Coliseum two years ago. But the Trojans only won three more games that season, ushering in head coach Lincoln Riley and a new era in Troy.

USC enters this season in the national championship conversation, led by Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner who is expected to be the first pick in next year’s NFL draft.

“This is the best quarterback I’ve ever seen in college football,” according to SJSU head coach Brent Brennan.

Williams, a junior who transferred from the University of Oklahoma, passed for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns.

“It’s all about the small details,” SJSU safety Tre Jenkins said of the team’s strategy for stopping Williams. “He exposes everything you do.” You’ll think you’ve covered the field for five or six seconds and gotten a sack, but he’ll still be running around.”

Austin Jones, a former Stanford and Bishop O’Dowd High School running back who rushed for 972 yards and three touchdowns last season, will join Williams in the USC backfield. The Trojans lost All-American wide receiver Jordan Addison to the NFL Draft, but Tahj Washington and Mario Williams return after combining for 1,416 yards, 90 receptions, and 11 touchdowns in 2022.

“It’s an exciting thing to go out there and play USC,” said Tre Smith, a defensive lineman. “But all I’m doing is playing football.” Every game is a game I want to win for me. I’m not offending anyone. I’m going to respect them. But I’m going out there and treating it the same.”

Despite USC’s offensive talent, the Spartan defense is not intimidated by the challenge ahead.

“The approach is the same,” SJSU safety Chase Williams explained. “For sure, this is a high-level quarterback, and you have to respect his game for who he is and what he’s doing.” But, at the same time, you must prepare as you would for any other game.”

The Spartans last defeated a ranked opponent in 2013, when they defeated the then-No. 16 ranked Fresno State Bulldogs, led by Derek Carr and Davante Adams, 62-52. The Spartans last defeated a top-10 opponent at home in 2000, when they defeated No. 9 TCU 27-24.

“I think if you look at the line, we’re definitely underdogs, I don’t think there’s any question about that,” Brennan said. “I believe we have a major problem if our players are concerned about them showing up. That is not going to look anything like we want it to. We have to play good football and play as a team.”

The defensive line for the Spartans will be crucial to their success on Saturday. If the Spartans have one weakness, it is the Trojans’ offensive line. Last season, USC allowed 30 sacks, ranking fourth in the Pac-12 and 73rd nationally.

This year’s front seven features defensive tackle Soane Toia and Smith, who will look to compensate for the production of former all-conference defensive tackles Junior Fehoko and Cade Hall.

Last season, Toia was part of a six-man line rotation, while Smith, a highly touted defensive lineman out of Red Mountain High School in Arizona, is looking to take on a larger role on the front seven this season.

On Saturday, USC’s offense will receive a lot of national attention, but the Spartans could have one of the best offenses in the Mountain West. Chevan Cordeiro, the quarterback, is coming off a season in which he threw for a career-high 3,251 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Cordeiro lost all-conference receiver Elijah Cooks to the NFL, but the Spartans are counting on receivers Nick Nash and Charles Ross to contribute.

Nash switched from quarterback to wide receiver halfway through last season and has emerged as Cordeiro’s preferred target during training camp. Last season, Ross had 509 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

SJSU retooled their backfield by bringing in Utah Tech transfer Quali Conley, who rushed for 1,095 yards and eight touchdowns for the Bison last season. Conley will replace senior running back Kairee Robinson, who led the Spartans in 2022.

Brennan expressed optimism that a revitalized running back group will benefit the Spartans on Saturday.

“I think I’m hoping, like everyone else, that we’re more effective running the ball than we were a year ago,” Brennan said. “Quali has been an excellent addition to our team… He’s a dedicated football player. He has a high level of concern. So I think it’ll be interesting to see what he and Kairee and the rest of that backfield can do.”